The Fashion Informer

Fall 2012 Preview: Geoffrey Mac

What inspired you for fall 2012?
I started out looking at skeletons and bone structures from a variety of mammals. Later I was more inspired by the artist Dev Harlan. The two concepts had a beautiful marriage.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
Color became a mix of natural and neutral, paired with a few brights while the shape developed by executing functionality of non human shapes on a human form.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
The Knife and Metronomy.

What do you look for when casting your show?
We look for strong walkers that are not your typical beauty.  

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
By going to the gym at 8am every day and staying on schedule.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
Jeremy Scott, Marchesa and Preen.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Getting to a beach and shutting off my phone.

Geoffrey Mac will show his fall 2012 collection on Sunday, February 12th at Exit Art.

Fall 2012 Preview: Sally LaPointe

What inspired you for fall 2012?
I cannot tell you my exact inspiration right now, but I did go into this season wanting to tell a narrative, something rich and embellished.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
This is something I think I would like to leave to the viewer to interpret for themselves when they see the collection. 

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
Actually, I enjoyed a lot of silence designing this particular collection.  Not so much noise, more silence.

What do you look for when casting your show?
Intensity.  

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
I am usually pretty balanced, I am not at my best in very stressful environments so we do everything to ensure it never gets too much at one time.  And lot of Red Bull of course.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
I will probably take a glance at most of the shows online; it is good to see what else is going on out there.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
It would be nice to take a few days off, but I will begin designing right away so that I can be fully energized and balanced for the spring 2013 season.

Sally LaPointe will show her fall 2012 collection on Saturday, February 11th at Center 548.

Fall 2012 Preview: Son Jung Wan

What inspired you for fall 2012?
I was inspired by the contemporary artist Marc Quinn’s winter garden series.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
My fall collection is all about contrasts for both colors and fabrics. I started with neutral colors such as khaki and gray as the backdrop for vibrant accent colors such as vivid orange and emerald green combined with oriental embroideries, brocades, and floral prints.  I have combined fabrics such as mélange wool & chiffon, fur trimming with tweed, jerseys and hand knits all the while keeping the silhouette very minimal and clean.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
I like to listen to all types of music and a variety of artists, like he Beatles, Beethoven and Katy Perry.

What do you look for when casting your show?
I try to find the models that have the look, feel and attitude of the collection. 

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
Every morning, I have vitamin C. It is the tonic for my life.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
I am looking forward to seeing Christopher Kane’s show! 

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
I usually try to relax by going skiing with family. 

Son Jung Wan will show her fall 2012 collection on Saturday February, 11th at The Studio at Lincoln Center.

Fall 2012 Preview: Ruffian

What inspired you for fall 2012?
J.S. Bach, Henry Moore and the English landscape.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
Bronze leather, sharp tailoring, men's suiting fabrics, a somber palette punctuated with notes of color.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
J.S. Bach Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Minor.

What do you look for when casting your show?
Sophisticated rebelliousness, freshness and an aristocratic attitude.

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
Cook all of our own food, bring our own lunch to work, pastry treats from Payard and Emergen-C Raspberry.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season? 
Masterpieces of Renaissance Portraiture at The Metropolitan Museum and the Hollywood Costume exhibition at The Victoria and Albert Museum.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Lunch at Le Caprice at the Pierre Hotel with lots of Rose Champagne.

Brian Wolk and Claude Morais will show their fall 2012 Ruffian collection on Saturday, February 11th at the Studio at Lincoln Center.

Fall 2012 Preview: Rafael Cennamo

What inspired you for fall 2012?
Imagine a world in which the mysterious winter woods coalesce with the restless urban scene, where the frontiers of perception redefine our presence, a silhouette appears, bold and undaunted.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
The color palettes of pale tones along with shades of gray, blue and some teal represent the Nordic landscapes and the cold city made of concrete. Use of textures, cutouts, the play of sheerness and layering of materials are simultaneously constructed into strong silhouettes and wild feminine drapes. 

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
I have a wide range of musical taste and if I was to start mentioning my playlist, we would never end. 

What do you look for when casting your show?
Cool, edgy, strong Nordic looks.

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
I could tell you that I go to the gym and that I meditate on a daily basis, or I could tell you that my Red Bull is my friend and coffee is my bff. I guess it depends on the day.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
I think it is good to see a little bit of everything and everyone. At the end of the day, it is all fashion. 

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Take a few days off in a quiet and relaxing place. Hmmm…thank you for bringing that up. 

Rafael Cennamo will present his fall 2012 collection on Saturday February 11th at The Box at Lincoln Center.

Fall 2012 Preview: Helios&Luna

What inspired you for fall 2012?
This season I went to an art gallery for my inspiration. I became obsessed by the paintings of British conceptual modern artist Martin Creed. His graphic bold strokes and colors reflect the spirit of the woman the collection is designed for.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
I worked with texture on texture, color on color, texture and color together. There are edges and shapes that are uneven and angular in some garments, while others are more elliptical and suggestive of sharp edges.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
Usually it's a mix of classical and lounge music; it helps to be composed and creative.

What do you look for when casting your presentation?
An ideal of the woman I want to love the clothes. So it is her attitude, her sensibility, her independence and, of course, that inexplicable but necessary aura of refinement, all wrapped up in a gorgeous package.

How do you stay energized/ balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
It’s that creative adrenalin that energizes me. It's the realization that I’ve got another collection right behind this one that keeps me in balance and tells me when I have to chill to conserve.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Philip Lim, Valentino,  Andrew Gn, Aquilano, Giambattista Valli and Lanvin, to name a few.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
One month vacation in Africa. Or, maybe, an afternoon or two of African art and sculptural work in some of my favorite galleries.

Patricia Clyne will present her fall 2012 collection on Wednesday, February 8th at the Helios&Luna showroom.

Fall 2012 Preview: Doo.Ri

What inspired you for fall 2012?
The concept of Butoh played a big part in my inspiration for the season—moving away from the traditional idea of the beautiful body, with a return to a more organic natural beauty. There is a strength to the poetic movement and shapes created by this art form and I wanted to echo that for fall 2012.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
Color: Rich brass, warm grey, burgundy, pale pink, wine, navy. Materials: Bonded jersey, parachute silks, slinky jersey, shearling, virgin wools, felted suiting, bonded leather. Shape: Languid, volume, effortless, sensual.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
The xx, Florence + The Machine, Grimes, Class Actress.

What do you look for when casting your show?
I love to cast models with an ease about them, and usually with a little quirkiness in their look.

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
Spending time with my son, Kip, really helps to keep me balanced in the run up to a show. And when I am at the office, even though the entire team has a million and one things to do, we all try to keep things light and fun. Pizza and cupcakes tend to make an appearance every now and again! 

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
Ann Demeulemeester, Erdem, Rick Owens, Jil Sander.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Well, I wont be able to unwind right away…Doo.Ri for Macy’s launches on February 15th!

Doo.Ri will show her fall 2012 collection on Friday, February 10th at Eyebeam Gallery.

Fall 2012 Preview: Porter Grey

What inspired you for fall 2012?
The American Frontier.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
The inspiration works well with the aesthetic of our brand.  We love that buttoned-up look, which is consistent through all of our seasons.  We are using a palette of rich tones in deep burgundy, sable and navy paired with muted tones of mauve, burnt orange and oyster. We wanted to layer multiple textures in a garment so we are pairing different fabrics together in a single piece. One of our favorite fabrics that we are using for outerwear is a textured knit that reminds us of Native American textiles. 

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan.

What do you look for when casting your presentation?
We always look for girls who have a natural glow. Before we start casting, we come up with a hair and make-up concept that we then work off of when looking for models. We try to find girls who have a similar look and balance each other well. The most important thing that we focus on, though, is personality. We like girls who are sweet and outgoing.

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
We usually live off of an incredibly healthy diet of Honey Nut Cheerios, raw vegan ice cream sundaes from Pure Food & Wine and Caffé Americanos. The thing that really keeps us energized and balanced is the incredible team of people behind us, because our diet is definitely not doing that for us.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
We are looking forward to seeing Timo Weiland’s collection.  We have known Timo for a long time and he and Alan are both incredibly talented and amazing people, so it is always exciting to see what they are up to. 

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Our mother’s birthday is a few days after our show, so she usually tries to kidnap us for that, but I would be lying if I said we had some amazing vacation planned.  We will probably just jump straight into market immediately following the show. Plus, we have Resort/Cruise coming up.

Alexandra and Kristen O'Neill will present their fall 2012 Porter Grey collection on Saturday, February 11th at The Box at Lincoln Center.

Fall 2012 Preview: Tess Giberson

What inspired you for fall 2012?
The fall collection came out of the idea of wrapping and covering. I was looking at images of Christo's wrapped objects from the late Sixties and thought about the lines, layers and sense of protection. Then I played off that idea and worked with it throughout the collection. 

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes?
The collection works in three parts. The first has a poetic, softer feeling and plays with layers of wrapping. The silhouettes are unstructured– working with wrapping and tying to create volume and shapes. The colors are softer and more feminine. Materials include sand washed silks, fine gauge knits, over-washed leathers, drapey jerseys and cotton mesh lace. The second part is harder and graphic. The silhouettes are structured with tailoring and elongated lines. Details include leather piecing and straps, ruching, tying, and lace-wrapped appliqué. Colors are primarily white, grey and black. Materials include leathers, wool suiting, cotton shirting, stretch crepe, silk satin and mohair knits. The final section works with protection in a more personal sense—through layers of rich materials, such as furs, double face cashmere, satins and hand knits—in jewel tones and warm neutrals.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
Carol's Breakdown; a moody dark wave/minimal song. And Soundtracks by Can.

What do you look for when casting your show?
Strong, beautiful girls with a cool attitude. 

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
Keep lists constantly, drink lots of water and coffee, and get outside at some point every day. 

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week?
Spending time with my husband and kids! 

Tess Giberson will show her fall 2012 collection on Friday, February 10th at Eyebeam Gallery.

Fall 2012 Preview: Brandon Sun

What inspired you for fall 2012? 
The title of the collection is "Silent Assassins."  It's loosely based on the kung-fu epics I grew up watching.  I was always drawn to the subtle and quiet violence in every graceful movement.

How does this play out in terms of colors, materials and shapes? 
Minimal is a dangerous word to use, but I try to strip away superfluous details and give a pure thought.  This season, I'm leaning toward relaxed columns and clean layering pieces to create a nonchalant swagger.  The palette is like a garden on the verge of hibernating for winter: Muted pinks, blackened golds, variants of gray.  Similarly, the textures of the cashmere, silk, wool and fur are all a little worn in.

What music did you listen to while designing this collection? 
I try not to listen to music when i design. If its a great song, I either distract myself by busting into song or drifting astray in vision.

What do you look for when casting your presentation? 
Someone easy, cool, sophisticated but sharp.

How do you stay energized/balanced in the weeks leading up to NYFW?
I'm still searching for the answer to this.

What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season? 
Bibhu Mohapatra is dear friend, I've worked so long at J.Mendel, and I do the fur collection for Oscar de la Renta, so those are top on my list. In Europe: Celine, Givenchy, Rick Owens and Haider Ackerman.

How do you plan to unwind after Fashion Week? 
Most likely, I'll keep fantasizing about the beach and warm weather while I start to figure out production!

Brandon Sun will make his New York Fashion Week debut with the presentation of his fall 2012 ready-to-wear/fur collection on Friday, February 10th at The Box at Lincoln Center.